The U.S. government is preparing to drastically reduce its role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic even as an explosion of cases in China is raising fresh concern about the virus within the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden.
Spending legislation that Congress is poised to send to Biden this week includes no new funds for vaccines, testing or treatments. The White House has signaled that Biden — who has declared the pandemic "over” — would sign the bill even though lawmakers spurned his request for $9.25 billion to keep shots and medications free.
